Tub filler



April 4, 1967 J. K. LYON 3,312,402

TUB FILLER Filed Nov. 9, 1964 Ff-Go 10 [NVE/vree.

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United States Patent O 3,312,402 TUB FILLER John K. Lyon, Pasadena,Calif., assignor to Price-Pfister Brass Mfg. Co., Pacoima, Calif., acorporation of California Filed Nov. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 409,785 7 Claims.(Cl. 239-552) This invention relates to plumbing fixtures andparticularly to a tub filler.

A typical tub filler has la right-angled spout at its end thatpresumably defines the boundary of the emergent stream. However, smallsections of the stream tend to angle sharply from the end of the spout,causing the deposit of water on the ledge of the tub, the floor, andelsewhere but in the tub. This is a source of constant annoyance. Theproblem increases materially under high flow conditions.

Some possible solutions are unacceptable. For example, a large radiusspout is inconsistent with current esthetic design trends. Extendedspouts are hazardous.

The primary object 4of this invention is to provide a tub filler havinga sharp relatively truncated right-angled spout that neverthelesseffectively confines the entire emergent stream to the space defined bythe downward projection of the spout. I have discovered that this resultmay be accomplished by judicious location of a wall in the spout chamberthat divides the incoming water into two sections. The interaction ofthe two stream sections results in an unexpected total compliance withthe path defined by the spout itself.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tub filler of thischaracter that can be easily made by conventional die casting methods.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of oneembodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form inthe drawings accompanying and forming a part of the presentspecification, and which drawings, unless as otherwise indicated, aretrue scale. This form will now Ibe described in detail, illustrating thegeneral principles of the invention; but it is to be understood thatthis detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, sincethe scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an axial sectional view of a tub filler incorporating thepresent invention and shown installed;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view, showing the spout of the tubfiller;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along a planeindicated by line 3 3 of FIG. l; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional views takenas indicated by the lines 4 4 and 5-5 of FIG. 1.

In FIG. l there is illustrated a tub filler incorporating my invention.The tub filler may be made, by way of example, by die casting. The tubfiller 10 cooperates with a pipe 11 that projects from the wall 12 abovethe bath tub (not shown). Flow in the pipe 11 is controlled by valvestructures (not shown). The tub filler body 13 is hollow and telescopesover the pipe 11 to provide a suitable finished appearance. The base ofthe body has a circular edge 14 contacting the wall 12. Adjacent theother end of the body 13 is an interior wall 15 that has a threadedopening 16 cooperating with the threaded end 11a of the pipe 11. At theend of the tub filler 10 is a spout structure 17. The spout structure 17has an end wall 18 and peripheral wall 19 forming with the interior wall1S, a spout chamber 20. Opposite the end wall ,ICC

2 18 is the spout opening 21. The spout chamber 20 is generallycylindrical, but diverges sightly in a downward direction. The chamber20 defines the vertical axis z of the stream that emerges from the spoutopening 21.

The threaded opening 16 forms Ian inlet to the spout chamber 20 adjacentthe end wall 18, With the end of the opening forming an orifice at theside of the spout chamber 20. Extending downward from the end wall 18 isa projection 21 that extends entirely across the spout in partiallyopposed relationship to the opening 16. This wall is spaced from the endof the opening 16 and has an edge 22 that extends at right angles to theaxis x of the inlet opening 16. As shown in FIG. 4, the projecting wall21 substantially bisects the incoming stream so that the upper part ofthe stream remains behind the wall or projection 21 and the lowerportion of the stream passes beyond the projection 21. The projection 21thus divides the spout into frontal and rearward sections 23 and 24. Thewater in the section 24 (FIG. 4) divides as indicated by the arrows 25and 26 and moves downwardly along the sides of that part of the streamthat continues to the frontal section 23. The flow is highly turbulent.By the time the water in the rearward section 24 reaches the lower spoutopening 21 it has a defined path substantially parallel to the verticalaxis z. The water in section 23 is believed to have some effect upon thestream as it enters the frontal section 23. The stream in the frontalsection 23 also has a defined course as it leaves the opening 21. I havefound that the projection 21 must be spaced sufliciently far from theinlet 16 in order to produce the desired result.

Stream dividers 27, 28, 29, 30 extend as ribs or vanes along the insideof the peripheral wall 19. The divider vanes 27 and 30 extend downwardlyfrom the opposite ends of the partition wall 21 and the divider vanes 28and 29 extend downwardly at the front portion of the peripheral wall 19.

The wall or partition 21 has two enlargedy portions 31 and 32 thatreinforce the wall 21 and provide surfaces for cooperation with moldejection pins.

The inventor claims:

l. A tub filler or the like comprising a spout containing a chamberhaving a closed upper wall, an open lower end providing 1an outlet, andside wall means containing a lateral inlet orifice substantially abovesaid lower end, Ibaille means carried by said upper wall extendingdownwardly into said chamber a distance below a projection of the upperedge of said orifice and terminating above a projection of the loweredge of said orifice dividing said chamber into rearward and forwardzones receiving upper and lower portions respectively of a streamemerging from said orifice, said chamber having a transverse dimensiongreater than that of said orifice at the elevation of the lower edge ofsaid baille means, -the ratio of said transverse dimensions being suchthat the projected stream impinging on said baille means will bedeflected downwardly and transversely with respect to said orifice toentrain air and intermingle with the :remaining stream to produce anaerated stream at said lower end.

2. A tub filler or the like according to claim 1 wherein said side wallmeans carries additional baille means extending into said chamber.

3. A tub filler or the like according to claim 1 wherein said side wallmeans carries ya plurality of ribs projecting downwardly in said chamberto an elevation below said baille means.

4. A tub filler or the like according to claim 1 wherein said side wallmeans carries a plurality of ribs projecting downwardly from said baillemeans towards said lower end.

5. A tub filler or the like according to claim 1 wherein said side wallmeans carries` a plurality of ribs disposed in said forward Zone andextending `downwardly towards said lower end.

6. A t-u'b filler or the like according to claim 1 wherein equidi'stant,from the upper and lower edges of `said orifice.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1928 Lehnert239-590 5/1963 Brown Z39-590.3

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Prmaly Examiner.

1. A TUB FILLER OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A SPOUT CONTAINING A CHAMBERHAVING A CLOSED UPPER WALL, AN OPEN LOWER END PROVIDING AN OUTLET, ANDSIDE WALL MEANS CONTAINING A LATERAL INLET ORIFICE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVESAID LOWER END, BAFFLE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID UPPER WALL EXTENDINGDOWNWARDLY INTO SAID CHAMBER A DISTANCE BELOW A PROJECTION OF THE UPPEREDGE OF SAID ORIFICE AND TERMINATING ABOVE A PROJECTION OF THE LOWEREDGE OF SAID ORIFICE DIVIDING SAID CHAMBER INTO REARWARD AND FORWARDZONES RECEIVING UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY OF A STREAMEMERGING FROM SAID ORIFICE, SAID CHAMBER HAVING A TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONGREATER THAN THAT OF SAID ORIFICE AT THE ELEVATION OF THE LOWER EDGE OFSAID BAFFLE MEANS, THE RATIO OF SAID